Door lock



Feb. 28, 1956 2,736,592

J. H. ROETHEL DOOR LOCK 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Sept. 17, 1953 BY MZ W Arrows/EY Feb. 28, 1956 J. H. ROETHEI.

DOOR LOCK 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 17, 1953 fof/N /?oET//E/.

BY WM Arromvfy IN V EN TOR.

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 J. H. ROETHEL.

DOOR LOCK WMM 7'7'0/2/VEY Feb. 28, 1956 Filed sept. 17. 1955 United States Patent O f' DOR LOCK John H. Roethel, Coral Gables, Fla., assigner to Roetllel Engineering Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application September 17, 1953, Serial No. 380,710

S Claims. (Cl. 292--166) This invention relates to a latch control mechanism for swinging doors, particularly the doors of automobile or other vehicle bodies, an object of this invention being to provide an improved door latch mechanism which is characterized by its simplicity and compactness in construction and which is economical to manufacture, comparatively quiet in operation and ellcient in use.

The improved door latch mechanism of the present invention comprises a substantially vertically slidable latch bolt normally urged into latching engagement with a striker or keeper device mounted on a body pillar, latch device release means for disengaging the latch device from the striker or keeper device, said release means including an actuator which is preferably a pivotally mounted lever, and a pivoted member having blocking means which may be positioned in blocking relation to a blocking portion on the release means actuator to render the latter inoperative to elect disengagement of the latch device from the striker or keeper device.

More particularly the door latch mechanism embodied -in the present invention comprises a support having a main plate portion having a housing attached to one face thereof. A latch plate or bolt is slidably mounted within the housing so as to have a tooth-like portion thereof normally projecting below the lower edge of the housing in keeper or striker engaging position. An actuator, preferably a pivotally movable lever, is mounted on the opposite side of said main plate portion, said actuator having a part thereof in opposing relation to a part of said latch bolt, one of said parts projecting through an aperture in said plate portion in said opposing relation to the other of said parts. The actuator is adapted to be moved by outer manually operable means, such as a push button mounted in the outside door handle, or by inner manually operable means, such as a remote control inside door handle, and when so moved its part will abut the latch bolt and thereby shift the latch bolt in unlatching direction. The actuator is provided with a blocking portion thereon. A blocking means is mounted on the support and is shiftable by manually operable means into opposing relation to said actuator portion. In one embodiment of the present invention, when said blocking means is in opposing relation to said actuator blocking portion only the outer manually operable means is rendered inoperative to eiect unlatching movement of the latch device. In a second embodiment, both the outer and inner manually operative means are rendered ineffective when said blocking means and blocking portion are in opposed relation.

Other objects and features of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of one embodiment of the latch mechanism of the present invention and illustrating the relationship in latched position of the latch bolt thereof to a striker or keeper device mounted on a body pillar.

2,736,592 Patented Feb. 28, 1956 ICC Fig. 2 is a view in part sectional illustrating the reverse side of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the latch mechanism shown in Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows 3 3.

Fig. 4 is a view in part sectional taken substantially through line 4-4 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows 4-4.

Fig. 5 is a view in part similar to Fig. 4 illustrating a second embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a view in part similar to Fig. 2 illustrating a third embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a view in part sectional taken substantially through line 7--7 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a detail view of the latch plate or bolt of the latch mechanism.

Fig. 9 is a view in part similar to Fig. l illustrating a further embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 10 is a view in part sectional illustrating the reverse side of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of Fig. 9 looking in the direction of the arrows 11-11.

Fig. 12 is a view in part sectional taken substantially through line 12-12 of Fig. 10 looking in the direction of the arrows 12-12.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not limitation.

In the drawings there is illustrated by way of example, particular embodiments of the present invention as applied to the doors and frame structures of an automobile. The embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive cornprises a case plate 10 provided with screw bosses 10a which are adapted to receive screws for fastening the case plate preferably to the outer side of the jamb portion or free edge wall of the vehicle door, the case plate 10 having a ilange 11 which is adapted to project through an aperture in the free edge wall of the door and to be positioned along the inner panel of the door. The case plate 10 is adapted to be mounted on the door with its longitudinal axis extending substantially in the direction of the longitudinal axis 'of the door. Secured to the front face 10b of the case plate 10 is a substantially rectangular housing 12 having an opening at the lower edge 12a thereof. Slidably retained for movement in a substantially up and down direction between the plate portion 13 of the housing 12 and the face 10b of the case plate 10 is a latch plate or bolt 14.

The illustrated latch plate or bolt 14 is preferably molded of a plastic material, such as nylon, which is characterized by its low coeflicient of friction when sliding on steel and which has low adhesion to ice and therefore will not readily freeze to the case plate 10. As illustrated, the latch plate or bolt 14 has a cross-sectional thickness substantially equal to the distance between the case plate surface 10b and the inner face ofthe housing plate portion 13. The tit of the latch plate or bolt 14 between the two plate surfaces is such that the plate will be freely movable therebetween.

In order to lighten the latch plate or bolt 14 and t0 save on the quantity of material used therein, the latch plate or bolt 14 is provided with a number of recesses in the side thereof adjacent the face 10b of the case plate 10, some of the recesses having functional utility as will be hereinafter explained. The latch plate or bolt 14 is an elongated and vertically extending member and is provided with a tooth-like projection 15 thereon exenseres 3 tending below the lower edge 12a of the housing 12. The tooth-like projection is adapted to engage a striker or keeper as illustrated in -Fig. l, the keeper being generally designated 16.

Associated with the latch plate or bolt 14 4is .a latch device release actuator which is preferably a .substantially vertically extending lever, generally ydesignated 17, which is pivoted intermediate its ends upon -a shoulder rivet or stud 18. The .release lever is mounted on the inner face c of the case plate 10. When the present latch .mechanism is mounted on the free edge wall of the door the release lever 17 will be on the inside of the door frame structure, the free edge vwall .of the door being apertured to accommodate the .release lever 17 .and other members of the latch mechanism .mounted on the inner face 10c of the case plate 1l). The release lever 17 is provided with .a substantially upwardly extending arm 19 and a substantially downwardly `extending .arm 20. The downwardly extending arm 2:0 is provided at an intermediate position .thereon with .a projection or lug 21. The lug 21 is turned `so as .to project through an aperture 22 in the case plate 16 toward the latch plate .or bolt 14. The lug 21 projects through the aperture 22 into a recess portion 23 of the .latch .plate `or bol-t .and underlies the edge 24 of a wall section 25 thereof. By virtue .of this construction, the release 4lever 17 and the latch plate or bolt 14 are so related that if the release lever is swung ina clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2, `the lug `21 will abut the edge 24 `of the latch plate or bolt 14 and thereby lift the latter 'upwardly in unlatching direction.

The upwardly extending arm 19 of the lrelease lever 17 is formed with a llange 19a thereon. This lever `arm 19 is adapted to be engaged on the outer side of the flange 19a by an outside manually operable means, such as a push button 26, for imparting the pivotal or lswinging movement to the release lever 17 necessary `to canse unlatching movement of the latch plate 14.

The llatch plate or bolt 14 is yieldingly urged toward .latching direction and the release lever 17 is :urged `toward its normal position shown in Fig. 2 by a single cylindrical coil spring 27. The spring 27 is nestled in a centrally located recess 28 in the vlatch plate or bolt 14. At its upper end the spring 27 abuts against a lug or projection 29 turned outwardly from the surface 10b of the case plate .so las to project into the recess 28 of :the latch plate .or bolt 14. The spring .27 thus lurges the latch plate or bolt Y14 downwardly at all times, .the downward movement being limited by the `abutting relation of a wall portion 30 of the latch plate `or bolt 1.4 with the upper surface of the projection or lug 29. The spring 27 urges the latch vplate or bolt 14 downwardly at all .times so as to yieldingly maintain the tooth-like projection thereon in striker or keeper device engaging position. Because .of the abutting relationship of the latch plate edge 24 and the lug or projection 21 on the release lever arm '20, the spring 27 will also function to urge the lever arm 19 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, about its pivotal axis 18. Thus a single spring 27 is utilized to maintain the latch plate 14 and the release lever 17 in their normal positions.

In accordance with the illustrated embodiment means is provided for restraining or blocking the release lever 17 against yoperation from the outside of the door. The blocking means comprises a lever 31 pivoted intermediate its ends on a shoulder vstud 32 secured to the face 10c of the case plate 1i). As illustrated in Fig. 2, the pivot axis of the blocking lever 31 is located below the pivot axis ofthe release lever 17. The lever 31 extends in a substantially horizontal direction. On one end the lever 31 is provided with a ange 33 which flange, when the blocking lever 31 is in the postion shown in Fig. 2, lies in the path of swinging Vmovement of the lower end or blocking portion 34 of the ,lever arm 20 and thereby blocks swinging movement of the lever 17 in a clockwise direction. Since it is necessary for the release lever 17 to swing in such clockwise direction in order that the lever projection or lug 21 abut the latch plate or bolt edge 24 to raise the latch plate or bolt, the relationship of the ange 33 to the end or blocking portion 34 of the lever arm 20, as shown in Fig. 2, renders the outer manually operable means7 such as the push button 26, inoperative to release the latch mechanism from the outside of the door and the door cannot be opened.

The present latch mechanism incorporates a remote control mechanism so constructed as to permit movement of the latch plate or bolt 14 independently of the release lever 17 and regardless of whether the latter is blocked against swinging movement through the medium of the blocking lever 31. This remote control mechanism is preferably manually actuated from the inside of the door remote from the case plate 10 by means of door handle (not shown) mounted on the inner panel of the vehicle door. Referring particularly to Fig. 4, the case .plate ilange 11 is provided with a bell crank lever 35 having a substantially upwardly extending arm 36 and a substantially horizontally extending arm 37, the arm 36 being adapted to be connected by a draft link 33 to the inside door handle mechanism. The bell crank lever 35 is pivotally mounted on the flange 11 by means of a pivot stud or shoulder rivet 39. The bell crank lever arm 37 is oifset at its free end and extends through an aperture 40 in the case plate 10 so as to underlie the upper edge 41 of a recess 42 in the latch plate or bolt 14. Movement of the bell crank lever 35 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 4, will cause the end of the arm 37 thereof to abut the bolt edge 41 thereby to lift the latch plate or bolt 14 upwardly against the resistance of the spring 27.

ln the present embodiment the blocking lever 31 may be shifted into or out of blocking position from either the ins-ide or the outside of the vehicle door. From the outside ofthe door such movement is accomplished by turning a key in a conventional 'key operated cylinder locking mechanism, shown schematically and designated 43. As best viewed in Fig. 3, the plate portion 10 is provided with a small flange 44 having pivotally mounted thereon a crank arm 45. The crank arm 45 is rigidly secured to a tubular rivet 46 which is rotably secured to .the flange 44. The tubular rivet is provided with a rectangular aperture 47 adapted to receive the conventional rectangular cross section shaft 48 of the key cylinder mechanism 43. The crank 45 is provided at the free end thereof with .a projection 49 engageable with the edge walls of a rectangular aperture 50 in the blocking lever ange 33. By turning the key in the key cylinder mechanism the crank arm 45 may be swung to shift the blocking member in one Vdirection or the other either to position the blocking lever flange 33 in its blocking position shown in Fig. 2 or in its nomblocking poistion. The key control means is usually embodied in the front door latch mechanism of an automobile body is usually omitted from the latch mechanism used on the rear doors.

In the present embodiment the bell crank lever 35 is utilized to swing the blocking lever 31 into blocking posi.- tion from the inside of the vehicle door. A crank arm 51 is pivotally mounted on the ange 11 on a pivot stud 52 located below the bell crank lever pivot stud 39. The free end of the crank arm 51 is provided with two spaced ears 53 projecting outwardly from the direction of the tlange 11. As viewed in Fig. 2, the ears 53 providethe crank arm 51 with a U-shaped appearance at the free end thereof. The ears 53 cooperate with a projection V54 on the end 31a of the blocking lever 31 opposite the end having the blocking flange 33. Thus, both the blocking lever 31 and the crank arm 51 are one responsive to movement of the other. The crank arm 51 is provided with a projection 55 thereon adapted to underlie the lower edge of the bell crank lever arm 37 when the blocking lever flange 33 is in non-blocking position. When in such relationship movement of the bell crank lever in a counterclockwise direction, by manipulation of the inside door handle in a direction opposite to that in which it is normally swung to open the vehicle door, will cause the lower edge of the bell crank arm 37 to abut the projection 55 and thereby swing the crank arm 51 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 4 Such movement of the crank arm 51 results in the blocking member being swung in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, thereby positioning the blocking flange 33 thereon in blocking position relative to the lever 17.

The case plate is provided with a stop in the form of a lug 56 lanced out of the plate to limit clockwise swinging movement of the blocking lever 31. A toggle spring 57 is provided having one end seated in an aperture in the case plate 10 and its other end in an aperture in the blocking lever 31. The toggle spring 57 yieldingly urges and holds the blocking lever toward its upper and lower limits of movement.

The latch plate or bolt 14 is provided with a horizontally extending pin 5S at the lower right hand corner thereof, as viewed in Fig. 2. The pin 58, which may be integrally molded on the latch plate or bolt 14, extends through an elongated slot 59 in the case plate in position to underlie the edge 31b of the blocking lever 31. The pin 58 is adapted to automatically swing the blocking lever 31 from release lever 17 blocking position to non-blocking position in the event that the latch mechanism is released by actuation of the door handle on the inside of the vehicle door while the blocking lever 31 is in blocking position or in the event that the blocking lever is placed in blocking position while the vehicle door is in an open position and the vehicle door is then swung shut. This feature of construction is referred to as the kick-out means, that is, a means for automatically restoring the blocking lever to non-blocking position to prevent the vehicle door from being inadvertently locked. As shown in Fig. 2 the pin 58 underlies the edge 31b of the blocking lever 31 when the blocking lever flange 33 is in blocking position relative to the blocking portion 34 of the release lever arm 20. Upon upward movement of the latch plate or bolt 14, the pin 58 will strike the blocking lever 31 and will cause the blocking flange 33 to be swung downwardly to a position in which the toggle spring 57 will cross its dead center position and urge the blocking lever to its fully non-blocking position as governed by the stop lug 56.

It will be noted that the latch plate or bolt 14 projection 15 has an inclined leading edge 15a which upon engagement with the striker or keeper device 16 as the Vehicle door is moved from an open to a closed position acts to cam the latch plate upwardly. Since the release lever projection 21 lies below the abutting edge 24 of the latch plate or bolt 14 and the bell crank lever arm 37 lies below the abutting edge 41 of the latch plate or bolt 14, upward movement of the latch plate or bolt upon engagement with the striker or keeper 16 is independent of and does not result in any movement of the release lever 17 or bell crank 35. This independent movement of the y latch plate 14, through the abutting relation of the pin 58 to the blocking lever 31, if the latter is in blocking position, will automatically restore the blocking lever to non-blocking position.

Fig. l illustrates the cooperative relationship between the latch plate or bolt 14 and the keeper or striker device, hereinbefore generally designated 16, to hold the Vehicle door in latched position. In general, the keeper or striker 16 comprises a C-shaped structure having upper and lower body portions 6l) and 61 respectively. The upper body portion 69 is formed at its upper edge with two integral upstanding tooth-like projections 62 and 63 which the latch plate projection 15 is adapted to engage to hold the door in either safety or final locking position. When the 31` has been omitted.

6 projection 15 is in engagement with the keeper tooth 62 the door is in safety latching position and when the projection 15 is in engagement with the tooth 63 the door is in final latching position.

The upper surface 64 of the lower body portion 61 forms a ramp engageable by a suitably contoured dovetail or abutment 65 fastened to the front face of the case plate 10. A yieldable wedging means is carried on the underside of the upper body portion 60 of the striker device and engages the upper surface of the dovetail or abutment 65 to rmly hold the door against vibratory movement in a vertical plane. The wedging means in the present instance comprises a wedge block 66 controlled by a compression spring 67, the wedge block and spring being slidably retained within a recess 68 in the lower surface of the upper body portion 60 by means of a guide rod 69 fastened to the end walls of the recess 68. The spring 67 is installed under initial compression and urges the wedge outwardly or to the right as viewed in Fig. l. During closing movement of the door, the wedge block 66 is carried inwardly to some extent against the resistance of the spring 67, the wedge block tending to tighten itself against the upper surface of the abutment 65 and hence maintaining the latch plate projection 15 in engagement with the striker or keeper tooth 62 and also minimizing any possible vibratory movement of the vehicle door.

It will be noted that, although a compression spring 27 is provided to urge the latch plate or bolt 14 downwardly into latching engagement with the striker or keeper 16, the latch plate or bolt 14 being movable in a substantially up and down direction will normally tend to maintain itself in latching engagement with the striker or keeper. Thus, even if the spring 27 should ultimately fall, the vehicle door may still be latched so as to be maintained in a closed position until repairs can be made. This will, of course, be recognized as being an important feature from a safety standpoint.

The latch mechanism constructed in accordance with the embodiment of Fig. 5 is mainly similar to that illustrated in the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, differing therefrom principally in that the blocking lever 31 is swingable into and out of blocking position through `actuation of a control rod 70 adapted to be actuated from the inside of the vehicle door, the rod 70 being adapted to project through the garnish molding forming a sill for the door window glass. It will be remembered that in the previously described embodiment, the blocking lever 31 was adapted to be swung from non-blocking to blocking position through the cooperative relationship of the remotely controlled bell crank arm 37 and the crank arm '51. In the present embodiment the crank arm 51 is eliminated. The control rod 70 is hooked directly into an aperture 71 in the projection 54 on the end 31a of the blocking lever 31. It will be readily apparent that an upward pull on the control rod 70 will result in the blocking lever 31 being swung in a direction to position the blocking flange 33 thereon in non-blocking position relative to the blocking portion 34 of the detent release means 17. Conversely, downward movement of the control rod 70 will swing the blocking lever 31 so as to position the blocking flange 33 in blocking position relative to the release means blocking portion 34.

The embodiment of Figs. 6 and 7 is also mainly similar to that illustrated in Figs. l to 4 inclusive, differing therefrom principally in that the crank arm 51 for transmitting movement of the bell crank arm 37 to the blocking lever In the present embodiment, the end 31a is provided with a projection 72 which is elongated in a substantially vertically extending direction. When the blocking lever 31 is in non-blocking position, the upper edge 72a of the projection 72 thereon will underlie the embossed portion 73 of the bell crank arm 37. Thus, if the bell crank lever 35 is swung in a counter- 7 tion 73 lwill abut the edge 72a of the projection 72 and urge the same downwardly. The blocking lever 31 accordingly may be swung so as to position the blocking flange 33 thereon in opposing relation to the release means blocking portion 34.

The -latch plate or bolt ld is shown as a separate detail in Fig. -l in order to emphasize the features of its construction. As shown in Fig. 8, the latch plate or bolt 1'4 is substantially rectangular in shape. The side thereof adapted to lie against the face lub of the main plate portion l is provided with a number of recesses some of Which have been identiiied. For example, the centrally located recess 28 is adapted to receive the case plate 10 lug or projection 29 and the coil spring 27. The recess 23 is provided so that the detent release means projection 21 may project therein in abutting relation to the edge 24 of the wall or pad portion 25 at the upper left hand corner of the bolt. The recess 42 permits the bell crank ann 37 to underlie the edge 4l of the bolt at the upper right hand corner. manner in which the recesses are provided has the double elect of lightening the weight of material required to manufacture the bolt and also provides ribs 74 which slidably engage the case plate surface 10b and therefore act as runners on which the bolt is slidable. On the sides thereof the bolt i4 is provided spaced nodes or protuberances 75 which engage the side walls of the housing 12 and guide the bolt i4 relative to said housing side walls during its up and down movement.

The latch mechanism constructed in accordance with the embodiment of Figs. 9 to l2 inclusive is mainly similar to that illustrated in the previously described embodiments differing therefrom principally in that the construction is such that movement of the blocking lever into blocking position relative to the release lever 17 renders not only the outer manually operable means, such as the push button 26, inoperative to move the latch plate or bolt 14 in unlatching direction but also renders the inside door handle inoperative. ln the previously described embodiment, the latch plate ld was movable independently of the release lever 17 by the bell crank lever 35. In the present embodiment the release lever i7 is provided with a substantially horizontally extending arm 76 which extends toward the ange lll. Mounted on the ange 11 is a bell crank lever 77 having a substantially horizontally extending arm 78 and a substantially vertically extending arm 79. The bell crank 77, as is the bell crank 35, is adapted to be connected by a draft link 38 to a door handle mounted on the inner panel of the vehicle door. Thus, when the inside door handle is actuated to unlatch the vehicle door, the bell crank lever 77 is swung in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. l2. The arm 78 of the bell crank 77 will abut the release lever arm 76 causing the release lever i7 to be swung in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. l0, the projections 21 thereon causing the latch plate or bolt ldto be moved upwardly in unlatching direction. Thus, the bell crank 77 does not directly actuate the latch plate or bolt ld as did the bell crank lever 35 but has to work through the release lever 17 to accomplish unlatching movement of the latch plate or bolt 14.

When the blocking lever 3l of the present embodiment is in the position as shown in Fig. lf), the blocking flange S0 thereon being in opposing relation to the blocking portion 34 of the release lever i7, both the outer manually operable means, such as the push button 26, and the inside operator, such as the inside door handle, are rendered ineffective to swing the release lever 17. The present embodiment is particularly suited for latch mechanism to be used on the rear doors of automobiles. Rendering the inside manually operable remote control means inoperative to move the latch plate or bolt 14 in unlatching direction provides a safety feature especially desirable when children are carried as passengers in the rearV compartment of the vehicle. With the rear doors It will be noted that the 8 locked the children cannot inadvertently move the inside door handle to unlatch the door while the vehicle is in motion thus endangering their lives.

In the present embodiment, since it is particularly suited for the rear doors of vehicles which are not generally provided with a key control locking mechanism, there is provided a means for shifting the blocking lever into or out of blocking position only from the inside of the door. The crank arm 51, the operative relationship of which to the end 31a of the blocking lever 31 has hereinbefore been described, is in the present embodiment one arm of a bell crank lever Sl pivotally mounted by the pivot stud 52 on the ange ll.. The bell crank lever 8l has a second arm 82 apertured to receive an end of a control rod 33. The control rod is adapted to be actuated from the inside of the vehicle door in any convenient manner. Upon the control rod being shifted to swing the bell crank lever 8l in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. l2, the blocking lever 3l will be swung so as to position the blocking flange out of blocking position relative to the blocking portion of the latch plate or bolt release lever 17. Conversely, movement of the control rod 83 in a direction to cause the bell crank lever 81 to be swung in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. l2, will cause the blocking lever 31 to be swung so as to position the blocking flange Sli in release lever 17 blocking position.

ln the present embodiment the bolt i4 is not provided with a kick-out projection or pin, such as the pin 58 shown in Fig. 2. Accordingly, the blocking lever flange 8l) may be placed in blocking position relative to the release lever i7 when the door is in an open position and will remain in such blocking position even though the door is then swung shut. Without a kick-out projection upward movement of the latch plate or bolt 14 upon engagement thereof with the striker or keeper 16 will not disturb the blocking lever 3l.

Although the latch mechanisms shown in Figs. l to 8 inclusive are preferably employed for the front door of an automobile, and the latch mechanism of the embodiment of Figs. l0 to l2 inclusive is preferably used on the rear door, it will be understood that any embodiment may be used on any of the doors of the vehicle if so desired.

l claim:

l. In a latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support having a plate portion for disposition at the free edge wall of the door and a ange extending angularly from said plate portion, a slidable latch device mounted on one side of said plate portion for movement between a door latched and a door unlatched position, actuator means including a lever pivotally mounted on the opposite side of said plate portion, a blocking portion on said lever, said lever having a part thereon projecting through an aperture in said plate portion and arranged in opposing relation to a part of said latch device, outer manually operable means engageable with said actuator means lever to swing the same transversely of the door in one direction to cause said parts to abut and move the latch device into door unlatched position, a swingable member mounted on said opposite side or" the plate having a part movable in a substantially up and down direction, said part having blocking means for cooperation with said blocking portion, said swingable member being movable to dispose said blocking means in position to be engaged by said blocking portion thereby to render said actuator means ineffective to move said latch device into door unlatched position, and means effective when said blocking portion is engaged by said blocking means, for automatically moving said swingable member into non-blocking position upon movement of said latch device in door unlatching direction.

2. ln a latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support having a plate portion for disposition at the free edge wall of the door and a flange extending angularly from said plate portion, a slidable latch device mounted on one side of said plate portion for movement between a door latched and a door unlatched position, actuator means including a lever pivotally mounted on the opposite side of said plate portion, a blocking portion on said lever, said lever having a part thereon projecting through an aperture in said plate portion and arranged in opposing relation to a part of said latch device, outer manually operable means engageable with said actuator means lever to swing the same transversely of the door in one direction to cause said parts to abut and move the latch device into door unlatched position, a swingable member mounted on said opposite side of the plate having a part movable in a substantially up and down direction, said part having blocking means for cooperation with said blocking portion, said swingable member being movable to dispose said blocking means in position to be engaged by said blocking portion thereby to render said actuator means ineffective to move said latch device into door unlatched position, inner manually operable means mounted on said flange for moving said latch device in door unlatching direction independently of said actuator means, and means etective when said blocking portion is engaged by said blocking means, for automatically moving said swinging member into non-blocking position upon movement of said latch device in door unlatching direction.

3. In a latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support having a plate portion for disposition at the free edge wall of the door and a flange extending angularly from said plate portion, a slidable latch device mounted on one side of said plate portion for movement between a door latched and a door unlatched position, actuator means including a lever pivotally mounted on the opposite side of said plate portion, a blocking portion on said lever, said lever having a part thereon projecting through an aperture in said plate portion and arranged in opposing relation to a part of said latch device, outer manually operable means engageable with said actuator means to swing the same in one direction to cause said parts to abut and move the latch device into door unlatched position, inner manually operable means mounted on said flange having a part thereof engageable with said latch device upon movement of said inner manually operable means in one direction for moving said latch device in door unlatching direction independently of said actuator means, a swingable member mounted on said opposite side of the plate having a part movable in a substantially up and down direction, said part having blocking means for cooperation with said blocking portion, said inner manually operable means upon movement in the opposite direction being engageable with said swingable member to move the same to dispose said blocking means in position to be engaged by said blocking portion thereby to render said actuator means ineiective to move said latch device into door unlatched position, and means effective when said blocking portion is engaged by said blocking means, for automatically moving said swinging member into non-blocking position upon movement of said latch device in door unlatching direction.

4. In a latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support having a plate portion for disposition at the free edge wall of the door and a ange extending angularly from said plate portion, a slidable latch device mounted on one side of said plate portion for movement between a door latched and a door unlatched position, actuator means including a lever pivotally mounted on the opposite side of said plate portion, a blocking portion on said lever, said lever having a part thereon projecting through an aperture in said plate portion and arranged in opposing relation to a part of said latch device, outer manually operable means engageable with said actuator means to swing the same in one direction to cause said parts to abut and move the latch device into door unlatched position, inner manually operable means mounted on said flange including a swingable lever having a part thereof engageable with said latch device upon movement of said inner manually operable means in one direction for moving said latch device in door unlatching direction independently of said actuator means, a swingable member mounted on said opposite side of the plate having a part movable in a substantially up and down direction, said part having blocking means for cooperation with said blocking portion, said swingable lever upon movement in the opposite direction being engageable with said swingable member to move the same to dispose said blocking means in position to be engaged by said blocking portion thereby to render said actuator means ineiective to move said latch device into door unlatched position, and means etiective when said blocking portion is engaged by said blocking means, for automatically moving said swinging member into non-blocking position upon movement of said latch device in door unlatching direction by said swingable lever.

5. In a latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support having a plate portion for disposition at the free edge wall of the door and a ange extending angularly from said plate portion, a slidable latch device mounted on one side of said plate portion for movement between a door latched and a door unlatched position, actuator means including a lever pivotally mounted on the opposite side of said plate portion, a blocking portion on said lever, said lever having a part thereon projecting through an aperture in said plate portion and arranged in opposing relation to a part of said latch device, outer manually operable means engageable with said actuator means lever to swing the same transversely of the door in one direction to cause said parts to abut and move the latch device into door unlatched position, inner manually operable means mounted on said flange having a part thereof engageable with said actuator means to swing the same in said one direction to cause said parts to abut and move the latch device into door unlatched position independently of said outer manually operable means, and a swingable member mounted on said opposite side of the plate having a part movable in a substantially up and down direction, said part having blocking means for cooperation with said blocking portion, said swingable member being movable to dispose said blocking means in position to be engaged by said blocking portion thereby to render said actuator means ineiective to move said latch device into door unlatched position.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,104,460 Wesolowski July 21, 1914 1,331,166 Ochsner Feb. 17, 1920 2,272,167 Cloutier et al. Feb. 10, 1942 2,646,300 Roethel July 21, 1953 

